D&RGW L-96
#1
Hello,

a few years ago, exactly said 2017, i purchased this loco:

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There were many little bugs with this model loco which kept the price on an comparably low level.




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Some missing and bent parts like the railings on the pilot deck.




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Or a absent rivet of the valve gear.


Besides of these bugs listed above, the model was running jerky and was jamming although a coreless coil motor was fitted.


Lutz
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#2
if its a proto had 0ne of them at one time and found the jerky running was due to the famous proto cracked gear thing got rid of it because a replacement gear set  was to pricey .
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#3
Hello,

fixing a cracked gear P2K is a 10 minute job. Then it's done; thread finished.



This here is a job more to 10 hours. In a nutshell:
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One of the issues with Key models are the way to loose horn cheeks. This loco was built by Samhongsa for Key Imports, but ony the Key Imports models had those issues. Other Samhongsa built locos for Sunset, Westside, VH, PFM, Oriental Limited, Hallmark and others didn't show up this issue.
Here in the photo the horn cheeks were narrowed by shimming with copper sheets of different thickness. It is a somewhat laborious task with quite a lot of try-and-error. In this case 7 of 8 horn cheeks had to be shimmed at the rear group of drivers.
And then the action has to be repeated with the front group of drivers.




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Next to look for is the clearance between the crankpins of the first pair of drivers and the crosshead. Here a little imperfection in form of a flash is visible too. This will be removed.

That are only some of these little great killjoys which made a steam loco model running jerky.


Lutz
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#4
Hello,

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The other hassles:
- One was caused by the telescoping steam tubes between the front cylinders and the smokebox. These were way too short and tended to disengage from their counterparts at any occasion.
- Some of the crossheads guides were bent and out of straightness, this causing jerky running also.
- Rubber tubes with lost flexibilty
- The gearbox of the front group of drivers was screwed-fixed onto the main frame to prevent tilting, but thus disable the sprung action of the axle.
- Broken, bent and missing parts of handrails on the pilot deck.
- Bent valve gear parts.
- Some loose parts on the shell.




To fix it:
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Making torque levers for the gearboxes. These are semi-sealed units and could not really be disassembled.




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The gearbox with the torque lever mounted. By the means of the long hole, the angle of the box can be adjusted.
Now this axle has sprung action too.




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Elongating the telescopic steam pipes by soldering brass rods of the same diameter onto the ends. This has to be done without ruining the paint completely. After cooling down, the solder joints were filed smooth and even, so that they glide in their counterparts without jamming.




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Every evening clean up your workbench. Collect all tiny screws and small parts into a box and close the lid. Put all parts together into a larger box, so that they will stay together.
At least this is a time saving procedure.


Lutz
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#5
Nicely-done upgrades, Lutz, and in a very well-organised manner, too.   Applause Applause Applause

Wayne
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#6
Hello,

thank you Wayne, it is not the laurel, but those little comments and perhaps questions are signs that there are people still interested.
@All: Don't be shy and ask me questions.

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Tackling the improvements of current pick ups in the proven manner. Both groups got the same treatment.




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Starting the repair of the bent and broken handrails. One of the turned handrail knobs was really broken in half and partly missed.
The rest was removed and the positions where parts will be soldered were cleaned to the bare brass.




[Image: dsc02009jkkh8.jpg]
In one of my grab boxes i found a similar handrail knob of unknown origin. This was cleaned and soldered in place. Then the bed handrails were straightened and bent into the correct shape.
The missing transverse handrail was formed out of a piece of 0.5mm brass wire.




[Image: dsc02010c8jgq.jpg]
The paint was partly damaged here. The loose flakes were removed, the parts cleaned and degreased with acetone. Later these were repainted by the means of a handbrush.


Lutz
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#7
Hello,

next step:
[Image: dsc020122dk7i.jpg]
Adding a lot of black wires; the left one is the D&RGW L-96. Right there is another 2-8-8-2 for a customer.
Those cable retainers will pay off when there are more than 2 wires.




[Image: dsc02013ptkcl.jpg]
Both artics got new universals made out of this very useful A-Line parts. They are intended for Diesel locos, but why not use them here too?




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The missing link for the power reverser to the front engine was retrofitted.




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And then i detected, that the cab was removeable. There were no screws, by removing the handrails and pull back the cab it slides out.




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Fixing of loose small parts by soldering. The large steam pipe on one side was loose at one of it's ends. Here resoldering was only possible with a torch and this would ruin the paint. So i drilled 1,2mm holes through pipe and boiler jacket and press fit a length of 1.2mm stud to connect both.




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Then the electrics for the rear part of the engine was completed.




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What was left over at the end of a days work.




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And don't forget to put all parts into the particular box (remember there a two 2-8-8-2's on which i work simultaneously)


Lutz
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#8
Hello,

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Continuing with electrics. The electrical interconnction betwee the two groups of the articulated were done in a similar matter as i described before in my thread abot the D&RGW L-105 Challenger.
In the photo which show a further day of work progress, the LED for the cab interior is just glued and clamped onto a piece of styrene sheet. The cab interior is so well detailed, it will be a sin to leave it in the dark.





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Here i improved the mounting of the cab by adding two bores an tap them. So the cab now can be fixed durabel and demountable by screwing.




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The inner walls an ceiling of the can was painted reseda green.




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Later i had to alter the position of the resistor and cable.




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Mounting of the big double driver speaker with double adhesive foamed tape.


Lutz
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#9
Hello,

then going to reassemble the whole thing:
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O.K.




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But what is that? Eek




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Have a closer look from this angle.
The long running board looks like bent down at the rear and the short running board beneath the cab is out of angle.
So dissasembling the loco once more to research for the reasons. At least i found it and started to bent it right. A lenghty process with a lot of try and error, keep calm and bent only softly in small portions to reach your goal. 




[Image: dsc02062b7su2.jpg]
At least i did it, the paint is scratched at some points more, but the running boards are straight now.
I added a footbridge made out of brass sheet with safety grid pattern. This is mounted easy moveable onto two hings left and right.




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The windows were glassed and some closer looks onto the workplaces of engineer and fireman.

Then the engine was taken to the programming track. Even with the aid of JMRI Decoder Pro it took several hours to adjust the decoder in such a manner that the loco runs and sounds like a real one.


Lutz
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#10
Nice work, Lutz!!! Applause Applause Applause

....and you're certainly right about the wealth of detail in that cab.

Wayne
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#11
Hello,

some photos from the first trial runs on DCC:
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The impressive big cylinders at the front engine.




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Here still work has to be made with the front headlight. In this case the angled numberboards are open worked. There is need for somewhat "glass" or clear plastic plates and inverted number decals.



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These are checking photos, made primarly for the purpose of checking if everything is square.
Paradoxically you will discover inconsistencies, bent parts, kinks and other imperfections much easier on photos as in reality.




Cab light testing:
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Daylight conditions with cab light on and off.



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Night conditions in real darkness.



Lutz
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#12
Lutz, That engine is really Awesome! Applause Fantastic job on the repairs/upgrades too Worship , it really turned out to be a great looking engine Applause
[Image: sig2.jpg]-Deano
[Image: up_turb10k_r.gif]
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#13
Yeah, I agree with Deano...great results, Lutz! Applause Applause Applause

Wayne
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#14
Hello,

thanks guys for the laurel.

But there is still something to do:
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The corners and seams of the coal bunker was sealed with UHU Alleskleber (i presume you will take Elmers for that task).




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Let it dry out overnight.




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Apply a puddle of a mixture made out of white glue, water and some drops of dishwashing detergent onto the bottom.




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Dump some coal into the puddle.




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Dump more coal and sculpt some some kind of ditch where the auger has sucked coal.




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Soak the pile with the mixture out and out. The tender body was placed before onto a lid which will act here as emergency flood control reservoir.
Don't touch it for the next 24h until it has hardened out.




[Image: dsc03404e2ulq.jpg]
The result.


Lutz
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#15
Nice work, Sir. But then I don't expect anything less from you.  Icon_e_biggrin
Cheers, the Bear. Icon_e_smile
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
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